Closure for collapsible tubes



Ap 1935- c. c. NIELSEN 1,997,116

CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIgLE TUBES Filed Feb. 7, 1934 BY WWW ATTORNEY9 Patented Apr. 1935 I .IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

Leanne This invention relates to improvements in closures for collapsible tubes.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a simple inexpensive device for automatically 5 releasing in a ribbon or stream the contents of a collapsible tube discharged therefrom under pressure, and for automatically closing the discharge opening in said tube when the pressure on V the contents is relieved.

In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is an enlarged cross section of the dis charge end of a collapsible tube made in accordance with the present invention and sealed ior shipment and sale. I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device with the sealing coating removed.

Figure 3 shows a modified embodiment of the invention which is wholly incorporated in a cap interchangeable with the conventional caps of existing tubes to adapt the invention advantageously for use in connection with the type tube currently produced.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In Figure 1 the reference character 4 represents the wall and reference character 5 the discharge head end of a collapsible tube which is conventional except for the form of the discharge end.

In the forming operation in which the terminal end 5 of the tube is shaped, it is preferably provided internally with anannular shoulder at 5 about a discharge bore 1 which is generally cylindrical in form except for a slight restriction at I which constitutes a seat against which the valve 9 is normally held by the pressure of spring l0. Opening from the bore I above the seat 8 and at one side of the valve 9, is a duct II preferably of somewhat elongated form so that material issuing therefrom past the valve 9 will I take the form of a ribbon.

The spring in comprises a central coil I! having one turn extended at 13 and anchored in the valve 9. The extreme ends of the spring comprise divergent wires preferably terminating in hooks at'l5 engageable in the shoulder 6 to limit the normal outward movement of the valve 9. The outward movement of the valve is resisted by the resiliency of the spring III which tends to increase the divergence of the arms, which engage the under surface of the end portion 5 of the tube to subject the valve to a tension which tends to draw itdownwardly in bore 1 to the point of engagement with the seat at 8.

When the wall 4 of the tube is manually collapsed to subject the contents to pressure, the pressure is sufiicient to overcome the light tension of spring ill and raise the valve 9 which is guided in bore I like a piston in its cylinder. The initial movement of the valve from seat. 8 exposes the bottom 01' the port i I and allows the material to issue from the port in a form determined by the crosssectional contour of the port or duct.-

As soon as the pressure on the contents of the tube is relieved, the light spring I0 is able to react against the head 5 of the tube to draw the valve 9 downwardly to seat 8, thereby cutting oil.

the further escape of material from port II.

In order to protect the tube and its contents during sale, the whole ispreferably encased in a light cap or sheath l6 of collodion or cellulose, or any other suitable film of material which may readily be disrupted and removed by the consumer.

The Fig. 3 construction is slightly more expensive but may be used individually and changed from tube to tube as the contents of one tube are used up; The end 5' of the tube shown in Fig. 3 is entirely conventional, terminating in a threaded discharge spout at II. The invention is embodied in a special cap l8 screw threaded for engagement with the spout II. A bracket 19 is secured to one side of the cap it to support the lower end of the tension spring 20 connected to the valve 9. The valve 9 moves in a bore 1 in the cap, having a seat restriction at 8 and a discharge port or duct at ll, all corresponding to the like parts in Fig. 1. The mode of operation of the Fig. 3 device is identical with that disclosed in Fig. 1.

There are numerous other forms in which the invention may be embodied, and those disclosed are merely exemplifications. In the following claims the word head is used generically to designate the tube end 5 of Fig. 1 and the cap 18 of Fig. 3.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a discharge head provided with a bore, a valve reciprocable in the bore between advanced and retracted positions, a spring acting on said said valve being yieldable from said seat duct when said valve is in its advanced position.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with e discharge heed provided with a bore and a duct comprising a lateral enlarge ment of the upper end of the boreopening to the end of said head and angularly restricted to one side of the bore, of a, valve reciproceble in the bore and spring biased toward a. position in winch. said duct is closed, and seat means limiting the .movement of said valve beyond said position,

means to release through said duct e materiel acting with pressure on the valve.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a, head having a discharge bore, diverg ing sides at one end of said bore, and an axially extending escape duct at the other end oi seid bore opening laterally of the discharge bore in the inner wall of the outer end of the head, and extending only for a limited extent circumferentielly thereof, a piston type vslve reciprocahle in said bore, and spring means connected with said valve and engaging said sides, said spring means i eevgiic being adapted yieldebiv to maintain said valve in position to close said duct.

d. '4.- device oi the character described, com-- prising the combination with e collapsible tube having it head with a tapered side wall and e, centrel discharge bore, said well being shouldered adjacent said bore, of a valve meens reciproceble in sold bore, and as spring connected with said valve and :Iieldeblv engaging said Well, said spring having means coectmg with said shoulder to per mit and also limit relative movement between seidspling and well.

5. In e, device of the charecter'deseribed, the combination with e. discharge heed having a, centrel bore and e wall inclined thereto and shouldered edjecent said bore, of a, valve device reciproca'ble in said bore, a. spring having an intermediate coil connected with said valve device, and free ends bearing against the well of said head and hooked for engagement with said shoulder to limit the movement of said device.

CLARENCE C. NELSEN. 

